Three-dish Chinese dinner with cucumber jjajangmyeon: Bueokgan

I was looking for somewhere to have dinner on Haeundae's Dalmaji-gil and ended up at a slightly different kind of Chinese restaurant. The name caught my eye first — Bueokgan Chinese Haeundae Branch. It's a place where you can enjoy jjajangmyeon (black bean noodles), jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup), and tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork) in an interior that's a bit more stylish than the usual Chinese restaurant vibe.

We ordered three dishes — Bueok jjajangmyeon, beef brisket jjamppong, and black vinegar pork loin tangsuyuk. I'd been especially curious about the tangsuyuk, since it comes with a sauce made using Chinese black vinegar, so I was looking forward to it even before the visit.

Location and parking at Bueokgan Chinese Haeundae Branch

Bueokgan Chinese Haeundae Branch sits toward Haeundae's Dalmaji-gil. Head up the hill along Dongbaek Elementary School and you'll spot the BUUK sign on a standalone building. Walking into the building leads straight to the restaurant, so it was easy to find even on a first visit.

We came by car, and there was a space to park right in front of the restaurant. Parking can be a hassle on Dalmaji-gil since most people get around by car, so it was really convenient to park right out front and walk straight in.

What's the interior and seating like

Walking inside, the atmosphere was completely different from what I'd pictured for a Chinese restaurant.

Overall it had warm beige tones with several round lights hanging down, giving it more the feel of a restaurant or an aesthetic café.

The tables weren't cramped, and the space was divided up so we could eat a bit more comfortably. It seems like a good fit for a family meal or a Haeundae date when you're craving Chinese food.

Menu and our order

Bueokgan Chinese keeps the familiar Chinese-restaurant staples as its base, but each dish has its own touch that stood out. What we ordered was

• Bueok jjajangmyeon ₩8,000
• Beef brisket jjamppong ₩12,000
• Black vinegar pork loin tangsuyuk ₩28,000

The jjajangmyeon and jjamppong prices weren't a burden, so we added the tangsuyuk too and shared a few dishes.

What we ate

Beef brisket jjamppong — ₩12,000

The first thing that caught my eye was the beef brisket jjamppong. Beef brisket, onions, and vegetables were piled generously on top of the red broth, making it look hearty just by looking at it.

The broth wasn't just aggressively spicy — it had a savory depth from the meat alongside the rich flavor of jjamppong broth. The sweetness of the onions blended in naturally too, so after one bite I kept going back for more broth.

There was enough meat that the beef brisket came up along with the noodles when I lifted them. Eating the noodles and brisket together, the chewy noodles paired with the tender meat made for a filling bite.

Bueok jjajangmyeon — ₩8,000

The Bueok jjajangmyeon came out with glossy jjajang sauce topped with cucumber, egg, and sesame seeds.

Mixing it all together, the rich jjajang sauce coated the noodles well. The sauce wasn't overly sweet or intense — it centered more on the deep umami of chunjang (black bean paste) and the flavor of the stir-fried ingredients.

The cucumber gave a crisp bite here and there that reset the heavy jjajang flavor each time, making it easy to eat all the way through.

Black vinegar pork loin tangsuyuk — ₩28,000

The dish I was most curious about was the black vinegar pork loin tangsuyuk. It's Bueokgan's signature tangsuyuk, made with a sauce using Chinese black vinegar.

The tangsuyuk came topped generously with onions and wood ear mushrooms, coated in a glossy sauce. Even where the sauce touched it, the batter kept its crisp texture inside, and the pork loin was thick enough to give a satisfying bite.

What stood out most was the sauce. Unlike the usual simple sweet-and-sour tangsuyuk, the tang here was followed by a subtle sweetness and deep flavor that cut through the richness of the fried meat. It's not that the sauce is straight black vinegar — it's a tangsuyuk sauce made using Chinese black vinegar, which adds that distinctive flavor, if that makes it easier to picture.

Final thoughts

If you're looking for a good-atmosphere Chinese restaurant on Haeundae's Dalmaji-gil, this is one worth remembering. You can enjoy familiar jjajangmyeon and jjamppong alongside a distinctive tangsuyuk made with black vinegar, all in one place, and the interior and easy parking were both satisfying. Next time I'd like to try some of the other dishes too :)